Paul stated that he did not bring words of spell-binding oratory or philosophy (intellectual reasoning) but rather, the demonstration of the Holy Spirit and his Power.( 1 Corinthians 2:3 - 1 Corinthians 2:5 4, And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of G-d.) Today institutional Christianity abounds as a religion without power and if by chance the supernatural is manifested, we look upon it as something questionable. We might on the other hand, have the tendency to exalt the man by whose hand these miracles occurred, placing him on a pedestal. Note in the Book of Acts disciples Paul and Barnabus had to constrain people from deifying them when powers from G-d were displayed.

The Two Words for Power
The Bible mentions two kinds of power, power (dunamis) and power (exousia). Both words have a place in understanding the power which is granted to every believer. Exousia power is the authority to act granted by G-d. Jesus declares after his resurrection, All power (exousia authority) in heaven and on earth have been given to me -- you go therefore -- and the commission to his disciples is given to take the Gospel into every nation. Jesus states in his prayer to the Father in John Chapter 17, "the glory you have given me, I have given to them- The glory of G-d is, I believe, a physical manifestation of G-d's presence, therefore it must be equated with Power. I will share a phrase with you, that I believe has been spiritually revealed, the phrase is this, "The glory of G-d is the manifested presence of G-d.

Jesus speaks of "the promise of the Father" power from G-d when he tells the disciples, "to wait in Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high." G-d Baptized Jesus with the Same Dunamis Power of the Spirit. The anointing of Holy Spirit power came upon Jesus after John baptized him in the Jordan river, it was thereafter that Jesus performed mighty works and began His ministry. " - -G-d anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power who went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil." (Acts10:38)

Supernatural Ability
The ministry of Jesus was a four-fold ministry; teaching, preaching the kingdom, healing, and deliverance from demonic influences, thus to demonstrate the Kingdom. This ministry of power directed against the forces of Satan. As described in Luke Chapter 4:18, there is an emphasis on power in order to fulfill the commission of the Gospel of the Kingdom:

The ministry of Holy Spirit power is heart of the Gospel of the Kingdom. It can be summarized as freeing people and restoring them from conditions (Luke Chapter 4:18 - body, soul and spirit) which Satan had placed upon mankind in general and upon ourselves and our families individually. Lack of wholeness through the bondage of Satan in sickness; Lack of wholeness through the bondage of Satan through mental oppression; Lack of wholeness through the bondage of Satan which are demonic in nature; Lack of: wholeness through the bondage of Satan through various kinds of curses; Lack of wholeness through the bondage of Satan in lacks and limitation, and in fears; Lack of wholeness through the bondage of Satan in connections to unclean, destructive and dehumanizing forces. Where the ministry of the Gospel is taught the adversary, (the enemy of G-d) must never be omitted for he remains the enemy and has oppressed the race of man since the beginning. Satan has not retired in Florida since the victory of Christ Jesus was proclaimed in the heavens and in the earth!

A Gospel without power is a false Gospel. Likewise any Gospel which does not introduce us to the reality of spiritual powers of the enemy that stand against us is a false Gospel. The faith life is to a large degree spent in enforcing G-d's authority in the earth with respect to our own lives, our families and other who we care for. Satan's team is positioned to take advantage of our ignorance. They will take an offensive action against us unless we are poised to stand our ground. Satan comes to steal, kill, destroy & deceive, and to perpetuate false Gospels. The Promise of the Father Help from the Spirit of G-d for Every Disciple The book of acts introduces the promise of the Father, What is this promise of the Father? It is Power from on high!. The Holy Spirit came to ordinary men and gave them supernatural knowledge, ability and might. They were clothed with the Glory of G-d's fire. Under the power of the Spirit, they manifested total loss of normal mental self control, they began to utter language which was not their own. They became witnesses. After being touched by Power (dunamis) we also bear witnesses that our lives are being remade, renewed, blessed in wholeness, through an agency which is totally beyond man's natural abilities, but that is something of the heavens.

A Matter of Moments to Become a New Creation
The disciples of Jesus included both men and women. They awaited the Promise of the Father in an upper room in the temple that day of Pentecost. They were all believers in Jesus. They all knew him. They all walked with him and knew his voice and his sayings but they were not yet able to minister as G-d desired them to minister. It was not enough to have known Jesus personally, face to face. They and ourselves can not minister from knowledge and experience and natural ability alone!

The ministry of Jesus was alotted for his disciples; Spiritual enablements would replicate Christ within each of them! Suddenly at the appointed moment each man and woman experienced what the prophets had written: The prophet Joel writing states: "It shall come to pass in the latter days that I will pour out of my spirit upon all flesh --' The prophet Ezekiel writes: "-- a new heart will I give you, and put a new spirit in you; I will remove the heart of stone and put in a heart of flesh-"(Ezekiel Chapter 36:26) I will write my laws upon your heart " and David the psalmist prophet writes: "- Let this be written for a future generation, a people not yet created shall Praise the Lord" --(Psalm 102,18)

That was Then, What About Now?
Religious tradition has relegated the book of Acts to "stories" or fables featuring exploits of unique and favored saints and apostles. Some infer in their practices that G-d no longer wishes to make disciples and to use them as he once did. Empowerment from on high as appropriated to Peter, James and John is not for today. Remember G-d does not lie, if he made any promise he will certainly fulfill that promise. The "promise of the Father" was specifically that of receiving divine, enabling power. It is the prophetic bottom line enabling the Ministry of Jesus Christ to continue in the church age. The earth will eventually have its sovereign and king present. The Kingdom of G-d will be actualized upon the earth. Until that time we have that very King, our sovereign and high priest ruling from a heavenly place.

You May Receive the Promise of the Father
Only believers can receive the Holy Spirit. This may require some personal self-evaluation. Do you believe? What do you believe?
Do you believe that you are a sinner alienated from the life and promises of G-d? Do you believe that you have up to this time, either knowing or unknowingly, followed a life style ruled by Satan's nature, pride and rebellion and self-service and uncleanness? Do you believe you need a Savior? Do you believe that Jesus was the lamb of G-d who carried the sins and offenses of the whole world as well as your own? Do you believe that the Messiah's blood has the power to wash all of your sins away and restore you in perfect accord with G-d the Father? Do you believe that G-d loves you and wishes to forgive you? Do you believe that He has the power to make your life entire over again and to make you a new creation?

If so, Hallelujah! An ordinary person like you and me, who are called outcasts, or sinners in the Bible, may begin a spiritual life by talking to G-d and asking Him to do something in our life. I can assure you of the truth in this. You need to do two things, the first is to believe. Kindly note and consider the things discussed above, for these are the essential elements of believing in the Gospel of Christ. The second is a spoken confession or petition to G-d. The psalmist states, "I called (spoke) unto the Lord with my voice and He heard me out of His holy hill." (Psalm 3:4 and Psalm 77:1) Confess (say with your own words) what you know about the promises that the cross of the Lord Jesus has acquired for you. Make this personal and honest.

Such a confession or petition to G-d, is not a ritual but simply getting honest with G-d, telling Him that you need Him and His transforming dunamis. Acknowledge that you accept the sacrifice of the Son of G-d for your sins. The words when spoken out of a sincere heart set in motion the gift of G-d, that we call a new creation. You will be born from above.

Romans 10:9-10 instructs us to proclaim this audibly with a statement of believing that Jesus will meet your need. G-d honors this confession. He will change you in an instant and take you into His family. However, you must act in all sincerity with faith, believing that you will most assuredly receive the gift of eternal life; this new birth and this new status of righteousness in Christ Jesus.

This is the first step of receiving the Promise of the Father, the gift of the Holy Spirit. If you are already a believer and have a sure witness of the fact that G-d has restored your spirit, you are eligible to become a disciple filled with power.

The experience of being born of the Spirit and made new is a good example of how G-d (Through Christ Jesus) works on our behalf. All transactions of faith operate through a similar sequence of action to that demonstrated above (Romans Chapter 10, verses 9 and 10.) Belief is followed by action. We believe in our hearts and express the belief vocally. The Heavenly Father is anxious to give you His Kingdom. (Luke 12,32) .

Believe and confess that Jesus died to make us free from the penalty of sin. He also wishes to make you into a true disciple. If we believe (know) and confess BELIEVING that G-d wishes to empower us as he empowered his first disciples. He desires to give you a good gift and empower you. Believe that Jesus has done that greater work on our behalf. Receiving the "Baptism of the Holy Spirit" is G-d's desire for you.

As he commanded the first disciples and likewise commands us so that we can function as a child of G-d. In the process of being filled with the Spirit the disciples in the second chapter of Acts came together to seek the promise of the Father. They sought it prayerfully. After the Holy Spirit was poured out there were manifestations for each disciples. They did not attempt to go out and minister without the experience. When the moment of fulfillment came - - - They began to praise G-d and to prophecy and to speak in other languages that the Holy Spirit gave to them.

Speaking in other Tongues, two varieties, unknown actual languages and Spiritual languages. Understanding and receiving these spiritual languages are a problem for many believers. Not thinking too much, is a weird kind of thing for people to do. Releasing the language utterance is a little confusing. Do you try or try not to try? It is hard to release words you do not know by not thinking. But the wisdom of G-d has made it possible to bypass the normal function of mental processes. Your thought processes are mostly by-passed in the tongues of G-d. These are not words you "learn" such as learning vocabulary words. The language of tongues are real languages a form of speech. They are not usually identified as any human dialect.

Paul refers to 2 kinds of tongues; of men; and of angels (1Cor 13). Nevertheless, tongues are messages from G-d, to allow us to give G-d perfect praise back to him. At times tongues along with a spiritual interpretation is a message to edify others.

Tongues work to edify and instruct ourselves on a spiritual level. Tongues bring revelatory wisdom. Tongues open the door to Spiritual experiences of all kinds. Tongues build our faith and open understanding of the Scripture. Prayer language and Holy Spirit Ministry The gift of Tongues as listed in 1 Corinthians, Chapter 12 is the ability to speak a language having never learned it. An example is described in Acts Chapter two. Where Galileans spoke the languages known to many nations who were present. Experience has taught me that languages can be a part of messages given publicly in meetings although this is not seen too often. As we pray in the Spirit our minds are rendered quiescent. the language of the Spirit has no predictability or conscious control. We find in it many kinds of expressions both in word and in tones of expression.

Uses of Tongues, Praying in the Spirit
Praying in the Spirit, expresses through a Spiritual language G-d's perfect will about matters. When we do not know how to pray in particular the Holy Spirit provides the necessary words. Romans, 8: 26, describes groanings or expressions beyond words. This is also called praying in the Spirit. Intercessors will lapse into prayers beyond words where sounds come forth that are very strange to listen to and may not sound at all like language. We can also receive the understanding of prayers that we pray or that are prayed by others.
Understanding comes into our minds spontaneously after we have spoken in tongues, or after someone else has been heard to utter something in a spiritual language. You may seek and ask the Lord to reveal these that you pray about so that you mind may also be fruitful. (1Cor 14) Interpreted tongues equal prophecy. Intercession, a Spiritual Ministry The ministry of divine intercession is empowered through the language of the Spirit.

Intercession a Spiritual Ministry
G-d calls forth true intercession. The Holy Spirit directs us to the matters of attention that the Father seeks to address. Some are given this ministry gift in a unique and powerful way. The Holy Spirit causes such individuals to yield to the Spirit and bring out the words necessary to enforce the perfect will of G-d for many things. It has been testified how people awaken in the night to bring forth prayers for people they know or for those in ministry undergoing trials and crisis.

The power of praying G-d's will for people, circumstances or nations, need not depend upon the leading of the rational mind. Sometimes visions and revelations can accompany intercession where G-d allows his servant to see the nature of the circumstances for which he or she is praying. Praying in the Spirit and the ministry of intercession is not learned through natural means, although it may be seen demonstrated by men or women with the gift. G-d is willing and happy to train any person who wishes to explore and learn Spiritual things.
It is continued practice which brings ability and fruitfulness in the learning and application of Spiritual things. Practice ministering through prayer, according to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Ask the Lord to train you and lead you in the Spirit. Surely it His will and pleasure to develop his children to become mature "sons or daughters of G-d."

Spiritual Gifts
Each believer has a unique calling and a particular gift that functions within the body of Christ. We are in fact now the expression of Christ's body upon the earth. The body shares gifts of various kinds that should find needed expression when the believers gather together. (Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, 1 Peter 4:11, Ephesians 4) Expressing G-d's direction through the manifold gifts is the perfect function of body fellowship. Such gatherings edify all of its members and bless their communities.

Mysteries, Chapter 3

E Book 1:
The Gospel Without Religion

E Book 2:
A Disciples Handbook

E Book 3:
Mysteries in the Bible

Index to all Charles Pinkney Christian Titles